pina] was
training for the assumption of imperial office and was having educated
under Seneca. She gathered for him an inconceivable amount of wealth,
omitting not one of the most humble and least influential citizens in her
search for money, paying court to every one who was in the least degree
well-off and murdering many for this very reason. In addition, she
destroyed out of jealousy some of the foremost women and put to death
Lollia Paulina because the latter had cherished some hope of being
married to Claudius. As she did not recognize the woman's head when it
was brought to her, she opened with her own hand the mouth and inspected
the teeth, which had certain peculiarities.

Mithridates, king of the Iberians; was defeated in a conflict with
a Roman army. Despairing of his life he begged that a hearing be
granted him to show cause why he should not be summarily executed
or led in the procession of triumph. This right having been accorded
him Claudius received him in Rome, standing on a tribunal, and addressed
threatening language to him. The king throughout replied
in an unabashed manner and concluded his remarks with "I was not
carried to you, but made the journey: if you doubt it, release me and
try to find me."

[-33-] She [sc. Agrippina] quickly became a second Messalina, and chiefly
because she obtained from the senate among other honors the right to use
the carpentum at festivals.

[A.D. 50 (a. u. 803)]

Subsequently Claudius applied to Agrippina the additional title of
_Augusta_.

When Claudius had adopted her son Nero and had made him his son-in-law
(by disowning his daughter and introducing her into another family so
that he might not have the name of uniting brother and sister), a mighty
portent occurred. All that day the sky seemed to be on fire.

Agrippina banished also Calpurnia, one of the most distinguished
ladies in the land, or perhaps even caused her death (as one version
of the story reports), because Claudius had admired and commended
her beauty.

[A.D. 51 (a. u. 804)]

When Nero (for this is the name for him that has won its way into
favor) was registered among the iuvenes, the day that he was registered
the Divine Power shook the earth for long distances and by
night struck terror to the hearts of all men without exception.

[-32-] [While Nero was growing up, Britannicus received neither honor nor
care. Agrippina, indeed, either drove away or